'It meant so much to me': Walker uses Koori Knockout as prep for PM's XIII

Cody Walker was only meant to run the water at the Koori Knockout. Instead, the South Sydney ace could not resist pulling on the boots and playing four straight games, which helped him tune-up for his first Prime Minister's XIII and World Cup 9s.

Walker was a late, late inclusion at the weekend tournament on the Central Coast, which also featured his good friend and retired Souths legend Greg Inglis and Cronulla prop Andrew Fifita.

Cody Walker says it was a pleasure to play with members of his family in the Koori knockout.Credit:Getty

While the tournament is renowned for its attacking thrills, there were just as many stray elbows to the back of the head, as Walker found out playing with his older brothers and family for the Bundjalung Baygal Warriors.

"I remember making a half break, and if you got tripped over, there would be knees and elbows and everything that came at you, so you had to duck for cover," Walker said. "It's one of the hardest styles of footy I've played but also one of the most enjoyable.

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"I got there on the Thursday and was only meant to help out and run the water.

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"But I got to training on the Friday night and the itch got a little bit too much. I rang my manager to seek a clearance to play on the Saturday afternoon.

"The temptation to play with my older brothers and family back home was too much. It meant so much to me. It was a great opportunity to go into camp and be around the younger kids and try to inspire them."

The South Coast Black Cockatoos, who featured Craig Garvey and former Rabbit and Dragon Dylan Farrell, beat Fifita's Griffith Three Ways United in the final of the tournament.

Walker said Inglis was mobbed all weekend and it was great to see him back on the field.

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"I think it's great for the game of rugby league to see such an iconic person like him play for a side from where he comes from and bringing the young fellas through," Walker said. "A lot of kids look up to him, I look up to him, a lot of players still look up to him, so for him to walk around at an Aboriginal knockout is something pretty special."

Walker said he was honoured to represent the PM's XIII in the halves alongside Mitchell Moses in what has been a big representative year, having captained the Indigenous All Stars and also featured in Origin I for NSW.

The five-eighth admitted his form dipped after being dropped for Origin II, but he showed glimpses of his best in the run home to the finals, and was one of Souths' few attacking threats during the preliminary final loss to Canberra.

The World Cup 9s will be played the following weekend and feature plenty of stars like Kalyn Ponga, Josh Addo-Carr and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

"There are some absolutely talented boys in that team and I don't know how I will keep up with them because I'm not as fast - hopefully I'll put them into space and see how we go," he said.